Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam. The title of this
week's letter is inspired by a famous story of Tolstoy entitled, HOW MUCH
LAND DOES A MAN NEED? And the motivation for the theme? Read on to find out!

This is the time of the year when our newspapers and TV channels are full of
news about graduates of our Brand Business Schools, who get fabulous offers
from overseas, with annual salaries touching as high as $ 200,000. The
Public is just floored by this phenomenon - fresh graduates getting this
kind of fat salaries. Understandably, these young men and women instantly
become heroes and heroines and their pictures are flashed everywhere. The
Directors of the Business Schools beam from ear to ear, Professors who
taught these graduates are full of pride, and hundreds of young people look
admiringly, hoping soon it would be their turn to reach El Dorado.

Recently, we asked some of the students of the Business School here in
Swami's University what they thought of it all. We had a long discussion,
starting with the curriculum and teaching, and then went on to discuss
various related factors. In this letter, we would like to share with you
some of what we heard and learnt from our students. This in essence is what
they said:

-In academic terms, there is really no substantial difference between the
Business School in our Institute and these so-called Brand Institutes. The
syllabus is more or less the same, and we too study the same books.

-There are differences though. For one thing, in the Brand Business
Schools, the students get more exposure to many practical details of today's
business world. We on the other hand get an entirely different orientation,
which has its own value.

-Learning about some of the intricacies of today's business world does give
some tactical advantages to the graduates in terms of entry into
high-profile corporations. On the other hand, we learn, especially in a very
practical way, more about humans, the way they behave, their aspirations and
so on. In the long run, this experience is invaluable in its own way. After
all, in the ultimate analysis, business is always done with human beings and
Society is the real market place. Thus, when it comes to matters like really
dealing with customers, and having a good appreciation of what it is that
the public wants, we are much better equipped.

-For the students of the Brand Schools, the horizon often is the
Corporation they are in. For them, the shareholders are very important. For
us, Society is everything, and the stakeholders, meaning the public at large
are very important.

-In the Brand Institutes, the bulk of the training is in the classrooms.
For us, however, the bulk of the training is really outside the classroom.

-To start with, our Hostel is where we learn most of our lessons, because
it is truly a microcosm of Society.

-In the Hostel, we are about ten or twelve to a room. Compared to other
colleges, this might sound horrible. On the other hand, once one gets used
to this, the experience is like living in a commune and teaches many
valuable lessons.

-The Hostel authorities make sure that in every room, we have a good mix of
students from different regions, speaking different languages, studying
different subjects and from different strata in life. Living in the same
room, sleeping on the floor, and working with our brothers all the time on
all matters relating to the Hostel and the College teaches us how to be
austere, how to adjust, how to co-operate instead of aggressively competing,
how to help each other, and so on. It shapes our personality in a subtle but
very significant manner, for the better, we believe.

-Another important thing about our Hostel. Compared to other Hostels
elsewhere, our Hostel has very few service staff and as a result, the
students literally run most of the activities in the Hostel. For example,
all minor electrical repairs and plumbing repairs are done by the students
themselves. When a boy is sick, other boys prepare special food for the sick
boy, as prescribed by the doctor.

-In effect, all labour is shared. The boys serve in the dining hall, they
take care of the Hostel library and computer centre, they take care of the
intercom, the audio system, they stitch costumes needed for plays and the
Institute Dramas, they have a music group which takes care of the Bhajans
and special music needed so often for various occasions, they take care of
decorations when required, and so on.

-These multiple skills come to the fore during the Annual Sports and
Festival Meet, when very complex structures are designed and created by the
boys, entirely on their own. This calls for skills such as welding,
papier-mâché work, a bit of automation and so on.

-Indeed, our Annual Sports and Cultural Festival, offers the best
commentary on the training that we receive in the Hostel. It is absolutely
unique, the like of which cannot be seen in any University in India, because
where else do students get such training? It is only those who have actually
witnessed the event who would able to appreciate what an all-round training
we receive in terms of character development, self-reliance, working in
harmony with others and so on.

-Elsewhere in the world, Business Schools operate so as to throw up some
stars and a large number of 'lesser' mortals. In our Institute we have a
unique system in operation in the Hostel. The principle is that everyone has
some talent in high measure and that person must therefore be encouraged to
make use of that talent for common good.

-Thus, one boy may be very good in sports and be the Institute Sports
Captain. Here he is the leader and others follow him. But this same Captain
might be in the Bhajan group, which has its own leader. This happens across
the board, so much so everyone learns simultaneously to lead from the front,
as also to follow. This is a very unique kind of leadership training that
teaches everyone to lead and also to follow by listening to others.

-Hostel is not everything, and we must not forget Swami, who is the One
that really shapes us, in so many different ways too. Take, for example, our
daily visits to the Mandir for Darshan. You know, it takes a lot of
discipline to sit quietly on the ground for hours, without fidgeting. That
is a special training in itself; it teaches patience.

-When we are in the Mandir, what we eagerly look forward to is at least a
glance from Swami, and those fleeting glances do come. Others might not
notice them but we never miss. Sometimes, it is a stern glance to a boy
whose monkey mind is up to no good. At other times, it is a glance of
immense love and compassion, assuring the receiver that He is there to help
in tiding over the looming crisis. On other occasions, the glance is wrapped
up in that matchless smile of Grace that everyone yearns for. Over the
years, all these things add up in a most effective and miraculous way and
that cannot be lightly dismissed.

-We must also not forget how Swami gives us so many chances, like singing Bhajans, or distributing Prasaadam or presenting skits, opportunities to
speak in His Divine presence, sing songs on festival mornings and so on.

-When Prime Ministers and Presidents come here for ceremonial occasions,
who is it that is in charge of hospitality services? Students of Bhagavan,
both old [now serving as teachers] and new! And how meticulously Swami
instructs those in charge of service! Does this happen elsewhere?

-In every possible way, we here get trained for life in such a manner that
it enables us to fit in wherever we go. An important part of the training is
the Annual Grama Seva or Village Service. Where else do you see the entire
faculty and students working for ten to twelve days at a stretch, cooking
food, packing the food, and carrying the food, sweets and clothes to over a
hundred villages, visiting every house in every village and hamlet, and
distributing all this with love and compassion.This exposure gives us a
deep feeling for rural India, without which urban India would be nowhere.
Indeed, it has changed the outlook of many students who wanted to go abroad,
inducing them to stay back and serve the country.

-Above all, what we learn every single minute is the importance of
character and integrity in life.

-People ask: 'Does Truth work in the dog-eat-dog business world'? It does
because, increasingly, Corporations prefer transparency, and integrity in
professional work. In this respect, we actually have an enormous advantage
over the graduates of the Brand Institutes.

-People ask: 'Why does not your Institute have placement service'? The
answer is simple. Firstly, placement deflects the attention of students from
studies to money. Swami is very clear that students must study for leading a
proper life and not for making money. Secondly, stripped of the glamour
attached, placement is like an auction! We value knowledge and education,
and do not think knowledge should be degraded in this manner. This is quite
contrary to the noble traditions of this country.

-People ask: 'Look, the graduates of the Brand Institutes are grabbed by
the big corporations paying huge sums. What about you fellows? Do you get
jobs with such fat salaries'? Our answer is simple. First of all, it must be
noted that barring half a dozen 'top stars', the bulk of students elsewhere
get the same kind of jobs and salaries as our boys do. In fact, over the
years, big companies in India have come to learn that Sai students 1) are
not attracted by salaries, but by the desire to learn through experience; 2)
easily adjust to the work assigned instead of bargaining for work they like;
3) are loyal to the employer and do not jump jobs simply because someone
offers a slightly higher salary; 4) are very good team players instead of
being temperamental prima donnas. 5) Finally, Sai students actually improve
the corporation they serve by making it a better corporate citizen. Thus,
Sai students have their own 'market value'.

-This is not all. Swami says, 'You are what you are because of Society. So,
when you go out into the world, make sure you serve Society.' Thus, for Swami's students, serving Society is the main goal in life, and this they do
in many ways. Firstly, wherever they are, they work for their employer in
the true sprit of Karma Yoga. Next, they use every spare moment to go out
into Society and assist those in need of help. Some go the villages during
weekend and do all kinds of Seva. Some run medical camps, and so on.

-Mind you, all this goes on throughout the year, very quietly, without any
prompting from anyone. Do you know, for example, one of Swami's students who
is in Nigeria, works in a Leper Camp during his free time, actually dressing
the diseased limbs of lepers. Can you find one such example from students
who have graduated from all the famous institutions in the world.

The above is only a small sampling of what our students told us. In quoting
all this, we do not want to give the impression that our students are vain
and look down upon others. Far from it; we asked a question concerning this
matter, and they simply said, 'Other Business Schools train students to play
a certain role in life, whereas Swami trains us for something different.'
And to drive home the point that they do not pose as being holier than
others they added:

-In God's Universe, everything has a purpose, and every individual plays
his or her own assigned role in the never-ending Cosmic Drama. Thus, we do
not criticise or condemn the graduates who have studied elsewhere. If some
of them are offered big and attractive salaries, so be it for that also is
what the Good Lord has willed. For us, that same Good Lord has given other
instructions, and over here, we are trained to follow those instructions
when we go out into the world.

-We have no right to condemn others even as we have no right to praise
ourselves. God has given every one a role to play; others play their roles
and we play ours. In the ultimate analysis, who is to say which is better?
But this much we do know: If we live with integrity and offer everything to
God, there can be nothing better. This is possible for both the king and the
pauper. The good thing about our Institute is that we are constantly
reminded of this truth, and that is what makes us different. And we are
mighty happy to be different, for this is a difference money cannot buy. So,
why should we complain?!

Well, we were quite amazed to have this incisive analysis of the nature of
Swami's University and the Business School of the University in particular.
What do you say? Do you agree or is there something our boys have missed? Do
write and tell us please; we would welcome your comments!